1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connectors engagement structure for mutually engaging male and female connectors together, by moving slide members in a direction to be orthogonal with a direction of an engagement of both connectors, guiding guide pins provided on either the surface of the slide members or the surface of one of the connectors into grooves provided on the surface of the other connector for drawing one connector into the other connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an engagement structure in the relevant technical field, there is, for example, one as disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Application laid-Open No.3-74483. According to the description of this publication, by mutually bringing both a male connector and a female connector close to each other, the male connector is inserted into the female connector for mutual engagement. A large number of terminal metal members are accommodated in each of the connectors, and the terminal members are brought into contact with each other at the time of the connectors engagement, for achieving an electrical conduction between both connectors.
A guide pin formed in an engagement member moves together with this engagement member moves to a guide groove formed in one of the male and female connectors so as to be close to the male and female connectors, so that the guide groove moves by being guided by the guide pin. By this movement, either the male connector or the female connector on which the guide groove is formed moves and, as a result, the male connector and the female connector are brought close to each other and are then engaged together.
The guide groove is formed in a state of being slanted toward a moving direction of the engagement member. The guide groove is formed by a plurality of numbers on each of the upper and lower positions of one of the male and female connectors, and all of these guide grooves are formed in this slanted shape in one same direction. Accordingly, directions of force applied to the respective guide grooves from the guide pins generated at the time of inserting the engagement member are set in the same direction at the upper and lower positions, and since there is a suitable clearance between the male connector and the female connector, and between each guide pin and each guide groove, the male connector which is drawn into the female connector is slanted toward the female connector, which sometimes makes it impossible to achieve a smooth engagement operation. In such a situation, the terminal metal members of both connectors are brought into contact with each other in a mutually slanted state which may damage the terminal metal members and the connectors themselves.